Elmira College (3-3, 2-2 E8) vs. Ithaca College (4-0, 4-0 E8)
Tuesday, September 22, 2015 | 4:00 P.M. | Wheeler Tennis Courts – Ithaca, NY
 
Elmira, NY -- The Elmira College women's tennis team continues their conference schedule this afternoon, as the Soaring Eagles make the short trip to neighboring Ithaca, NY to face the Bombers of Ithaca College. Today's Empire 8 Conference matchup is slated for 4:00 p.m. at Ithaca's Wheeler Tennis Courts.
 
Last Time Out
Elmira enters today's contest having won two straight matches, with their most recent victory coming at home against E8 foe Utica College.  In the win over the Pioneers, Elmira swept the doubles matches to enter singles play with a sizeable 3-0 lead.  From there, EC would win singles matches at the first, second, third, fourth, and sixth positions en route to a convincing 8-1 win. 
 
Milestone Reached by Yoshino
Fourth-year talent Ayaka Yoshino '16 picked up her fourth and fifth singles wins over the weekend, pushing her career total to 33.  The significance of the 33 singles wins is that Yoshino now has the most career singles victories in Elmira College history.  She passed former teammate Kayla Fitzgerald '15, and former EC great Olivia Garcia '05, over the week to take over as the program's top singles winner.
 
Fitzgerald Keeps Delivering
The Elmira women have three wins under their belt in 2015.  One thing that has remained consistent in those three wins is that second-year talent Megan Fitzgerald '18 has won the deciding match each time.  All three match-deciding wins have occurred at third singles, a position Fitzgerald is undefeated at (3-0).
 
Tock Shines at Four
After beginning the year at third singles, Stephanie Tock '16 has since made the switch to fourth singles.  The move by Coach Linhart has paid dividends for the Soaring Eagles, as Tock owns an unblemished 3-0 record at the fourth spot. Of her three wins, two have been by 6-0, 6-0 scores while the other was a third set thriller. All three of Tock's early season losses at the third spot came against quality opponents, including Hartwick College, who is undefeated through their first five matches of the year; Stevens Institute of Technology, who are coming off a run to the Empire 8 Conference Tournament finals last season; and the other loss came against NCAA Division II opponent Daemen College.
 
Scouting the Bombers
The 10-time defending Empire 8 Conference champion Bombers of Ithaca enter today's contest with a flawless 4-0 record, with all four wins coming in conference action. Ithaca has achieved their 4-0 record in dominant fashion, posting three sweeps and one 8-1 victory, winning 35-of-36 possible matches. Two-time Empire 8 Conference First Team honoree, Haley Kusak, is Ithaca's top singles and doubles player, as she holds down the number one spots.  She is a perfect 7-0 on the year and has won 68-of-71 games played. 
 
Looking Ahead
Following today's conference tilt with Ithaca, the Soaring Eagles will take a break from dual match play, as the Elmira women prepare for the USTA-ITA Northeast Regional Championships this weekend.  The premier regional tournament of the fall begins this Saturday, September 26th, at the Hobart William Smith Tennis Center in Geneva, NY.